Mr. Limpid
Active Member
I'm introducing Tangs into my 180 FOWLR. My wish is to have Desjardini Sailfin, Achilles and Powder Blue. My idea was to introduce them in that order. Any help will be appreciated, thanks.
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That order seems reasonable. It might be better to do them all at once, although it's a tall order to qt or ttm them all at once.
You did pick a difficult group imo, since the sailfin gets so large, and the pb and Achilles might not tolerate each other. For curiosity's sake, keep us updated on what you decide and how it goes.
You did pick a difficult group imo, since the sailfin gets so large, and the pb and Achilles might not tolerate each other. For curiosity's sake, keep us updated on what you decide and how it goes.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I think that makes sense. Curious what @4FordFamily thinks!
OP
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Mr. Limpid
Active Member
I was thinking the same thing since they are in the same family. Just see if anybody out there tried in the same size tank.
I have quite a bit of experience keeeping agressive cichlids together and making it work. Saltwater has been much more challenging.
I currently have an XL desjardini, large achilies, large blonde naso, and a small hippo together. The last three went in together along with a powder brown. The achilies killed the powder brown in the first week. I put a scopas in there and the achilies and desjardini thrashed him so hard the first night i scooped him out with my hand.
I tried to get a majestic angel in the tank and the achilies will NOT have it. Even after 10 days in an acclimation box, he goes right after him. I have a leutenant tang and XL sohal in QT right now. The plan was to add a bunch of rock temporarily to the DT, feed a TON and then release the angel, leutenant, sohal, and probably the scopas at the same time. My hope is the achilies will be overwhelmed. This is in a 300.
Point being, the P. blue is one of the most agressive tangs and the achilies can also be a satanic trouble maker. They are both ancanthrus.. Odds are not in your favor, introduction at the same time would increase odds of success but having another acanthrus may increase your odds a little more.
lastly, a 40 breeder can QT three large tangs long enough to ensure they don't perish from ich when you put them in the DT. I have found powder blues to be just as fragile as the achilies.
cheers
I currently have an XL desjardini, large achilies, large blonde naso, and a small hippo together. The last three went in together along with a powder brown. The achilies killed the powder brown in the first week. I put a scopas in there and the achilies and desjardini thrashed him so hard the first night i scooped him out with my hand.
I tried to get a majestic angel in the tank and the achilies will NOT have it. Even after 10 days in an acclimation box, he goes right after him. I have a leutenant tang and XL sohal in QT right now. The plan was to add a bunch of rock temporarily to the DT, feed a TON and then release the angel, leutenant, sohal, and probably the scopas at the same time. My hope is the achilies will be overwhelmed. This is in a 300.
Point being, the P. blue is one of the most agressive tangs and the achilies can also be a satanic trouble maker. They are both ancanthrus.. Odds are not in your favor, introduction at the same time would increase odds of success but having another acanthrus may increase your odds a little more.
lastly, a 40 breeder can QT three large tangs long enough to ensure they don't perish from ich when you put them in the DT. I have found powder blues to be just as fragile as the achilies.
cheers
OP
OP
Mr. Limpid
Active Member
That is what I was afraid of Brian. All my reading is in line with your comments. I was just hoping it wasn't true and my tank being much smaller than yours will make them even more aggressive. So my plan B was to ditch the Achilles and replace it with a Hippo or a Two Spot Bristletooth and make the first tang in.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
I would advise against a powder blue and Achilles being 2 of 3 total tangs in a tank. They’re likely to fight/kill each other. It’s easy to target the only other acanthurus tang in the tank. This works best with other tangs, larger tanks, and added together. It could grenade at any time. I would advise against that, pick one or the other. 
if you love tangs.. nasos are super chill and IME, pretty hardy. same thing with hippo tangs.
Lastly, having a school of "dither" fish like anthias can help offset a little bit of agression. I believe it just creates more movement and distraction in the tank.
Things can get squirrely pretty quickly. When i released my angel and the achilies went on the war path everyone started going nuts. Desjardini attacking my foxface, fox face going after the hippo, achilies swipping at hipo, naso cowering in a crack half his size... it looked like the rodney king riots. All i could do was feed and shut the lights off.
Lastly, having a school of "dither" fish like anthias can help offset a little bit of agression. I believe it just creates more movement and distraction in the tank.
Things can get squirrely pretty quickly. When i released my angel and the achilies went on the war path everyone started going nuts. Desjardini attacking my foxface, fox face going after the hippo, achilies swipping at hipo, naso cowering in a crack half his size... it looked like the rodney king riots. All i could do was feed and shut the lights off.
ca1ore
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For those three, I'd have said Sailfin, powder blue and then Achilles. My Achilles have always been more aggressive than the powder blue. Agree that it's a match made in hell in anything but a huge tank. I'd not even attempt it in my 450.
